I had my 3rd round of Immunotherapy last Wednesday. Since then, I have been having hot flashes basically every 1.5 hour during the day and night. It is extremely tiresome to have to keep having to wake up and changing my clothes, pillow, sheets, etc.
So I decided to do something practical. During the day, I'm alone in the house - the kids are at school still and my husband is at work. I would just walk around with no top except a thin cotton sheet on. This way when my hot flashes start, I will take off the sheet, eat some ice chips or drink some ice water, and let the hot flash does its thing. After about 20 minutes, I will wipe my whole body down and put the cotton sheet back on. And the cycle continues......
This is workable except when the community nurse visits or when I have medical appointments outside the house. I don't know yet what I'm going to do when I have to leave the house with these ongoing hot flashes. Any ideas for me ladies?
Some workout clothing is supposed to wick away perspiration so at least your skin stays a little drier, but I've never used them so can't vouch for them. I would probably take at least one change of clothing, depending on how long I'd be away from home. And freeze a couple of bottles of water to carry with you (pour a little out first to make room for expansion) and they can be an ice pack and as they melt you can drink the ice water.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a hot/cold bag? (one brand is the Magic Bag sold at Shopper's Drug Mart and Walmart) You can put them in the freezer and then place around your neck to help cool you down at home. You might even be able to take one with you if you have an insulated lunch bag it would fit in. (The best shape would be the long narrow one, I think.)
Do any of your pharmacies have a department that deals with home care items like walkers, mastectomy supplies, etc? Sometimes they have special clothing for women with hot flashes.
Do you have more immunotherapy treatments to come? I hope that the hot flashes recede soon. You are having a rough time. It sounds like a full-time job plus overtime to deal with the treatments and the symptoms that follow. It must be exhausting. Take care; I am thinking of you and hoping things settle down soon.
Thanks for your suggestions! I'll check out the products you have mentioned. I'm likely going to be having more immunotherapy treatments. I have a different set of symptoms each time I have had immunotherapy so who knows what symptoms the next treatment will bring.
DeleteI don't know what to do/wear when you have to leave the house, besides wearing cotton or linen. I find that linen is quite a bit cooler, but that could just be me.
ReplyDeleteWhen my temperature surges were the worst, I start buying (and dyeing) men's extra large v neck t-shirts. There were just about the thinnest garment I could find, and they are pretty cheap as well. I dyed them so I could go braless and not be flashing my nipples (TMI?). Some days I would have 4-5 changes. Tie dyeing them is super easy and fun, it's a project that you could do with your kids too, if you have the energy. If you are interested Dharma Trading has some great tutorials, also Paula Burch has a great website.
I second jenny_o's suggestion of a hot/cool pack, you could always use a bag of frozen peas when at home.
Sending cool thoughts and breezes your way.
Thanks ElleC! I agree with you about the t-shirts. I cannot stand wearing a bra right now and I have been wearing loose dark coloured t-shirts or tops with heavily printed fronts so one doesn't see the shapes of the nipples. I'll check out the websites you have mentioned too.
DeleteHow very uncomfortable. I can't offer much in the way of suggestions, except perhaps loose cotton caftans?
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah Liz! I do have lots of loose cotton caftans. The only problem with them is that the material is super thin and shows the shapes of the nipples too well if worn without a bra inside. Too bad I didn't make any wireless bras last year when I was dabbling into bra-making.
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